6 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy a Midday Sweet Tooth

It kicks in around 3 p.m. It’s the middle of the afternoon and your blood sugar is starting to dip. You had your well-balanced lunch, but that was a few hours ago. Though you’re not exactly hungry, you’re definitely in the mood for a nosh. More specifically, you’re craving something sweet.

The midday sweet tooth is a phenomenon experienced by all women (right?) and must be handled delicately. Sure, you could run down to Starbucks and pick up a cookie. But the health nut inside of you knows there’s got to be a better option. And she’s right. So, choose to forgo the sugar rush and try one of these healthy snacks that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds are a snacking powerhouse. They contain fiber, protein, and a number of other essential minerals. More importantly, they can easily be turned into a sweet treat. Soak two tablespoons of the seeds in a cup of almond milk for at least 10 minutes and store it in the fridge. When the craving hits, sprinkle the pudding-like mixture with a dash of cinnamon and dig in.

Justin's Honey Almond Butter and Apple Slices

The key to smart snacking is getting a balance of protein and fiber. The combination of an all-natural nut butter that’s sweetened with honey and juicy apple slices gets that ratio just right.

If you need a little more sweetness, top it off with an additional drizzle of honey or sprinkling of coconut shavings. Stash Justin’s Almond Butter Squeeze Packs ($12 for a 10-pack) in your desk to be prepared for your next snack attack.

Fage's Total 0% Strawberry Goji Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt has the protein part going for it, but on its own, it can be rather tart. Add a few of your favorite fruits to make it sweet tooth–satisfying.

Fage’s Total 0% Greek Yogurt ($2) makes enjoying the classic fruit-yogurt combo even easier because they pack a variety of fruits in a sealed portion of their single-serving cups. Low-calorie, fat-free, sweet, and convenient—all the makings of a perfect midday snack.

Element’s Dark Chocolate Rice Cakes

One of the toughest parts about selecting a sweet snack is finding one that’s not chemically processed and overloaded with sugar. Element took the guesswork out of that with their Corn and Rice Cakes ($27 for a box of six). They’re topped with premium Italian chocolate or fruit frosting (flavors include Sweet Vanilla Orange, Dark Chocolate, and Strawberry ‘N’ Cream). And you won’t find any preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or gluten lurking in the label.

Trail Mix

Good, old-fashioned trail mix never fails. Make it yourself to control the proportions of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds in your mix. You can also add dark chocolate or yogurt chips to bump up the sweetness level. Even if you’re not prepared to whip up your own batch, you can easily find a blend that includes chocolate or yogurt, like WildRoots’ Greek Yogurt Trail Mix ($18), in your grocery store.

Lenny and Larry’s The Peanut Butter Complete Cookie

Then again, sometimes you just want a cookie. Make it a low-fat, high-fiber, vegan, cholesterol-free cookie and you can indulge almost guilt-free. Lenny and Larry’s Complete Cookies ($25 for a 12-pack) come in all of your typical cookie varieties, but you get 16 grams of protein along with your chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or peanut butter goodness.

Do you get a midday sweet tooth? Tell us how you satisfy your cravings in the comments!

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.